As the 2027 edition appears, The Pocket Wine Book marks 50 years of helping readers choose wine. Its size has grown—from 144 pages in 1977 to 368 today—but its central idea remains the same: a compact, personal guide shaped by informed opinions and a clear sense of what makes a wine worth drinking. When Hugh… Read More »
During the four heatwaves that swept across Languedoc between May and August 2026, scorching days and unusually hot nights kept people indoors. The vineyards had no such refuge. In July, I drove to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of France’s warmest appellations, expecting to find the vines struggling. Instead, they looked healthy, although the weeds had stopped growing.… Read More »
South American red wine has changed dramatically over the past two decades. New vineyards have pushed into different latitudes and elevations, while improved soil mapping has helped producers understand established regions in greater detail. Winemakers have also revisited old-vine varieties such as Bonarda, Carignan, Cinsault, Criolla, and País, and expanded their use of grapes including… Read More »
Louis XIII has introduced Black Pearl: Tribute to the Birthplace of Louis XIII, a Cognac priced at £21,000 per bottle. The release is designed to recreate the experience of tasting Cognac straight from a cask in the historic Le Grollet cellar. Its midnight-blue decanter comes with a dedicated cooling cabinet that maintains a temperature of… Read More »
Syrah is remarkably adaptable, producing everything from fine-boned, aromatic reds to rich, powerful Shiraz. But outside its northern Rhône heartland, it can be difficult to predict what style a bottle will offer. For drinkers drawn to the Rhône’s savoury expression, the key is often a wine that puts herbs, spices, flowers and smoke ahead of… Read More »
Quinta do Infantado is a family-owned estate in Portugal’s Douro Valley, established in 1816. It became the first quinta in the region to bottle its own Port, in 1979, rather than sending the wine to Vila Nova de Gaia. At the time, regulations prevented producers from exporting Port unless it had passed through Gaia, so… Read More »
The Harbor House Inn sits above a cove in Elk, a small town on California’s rugged Northern Coast about three hours from San Francisco. The drive gives little hint that a luxurious inn and two-Michelin-starred restaurant await at the end of it. There are two main routes from San Francisco. Highway 101 to Cloverdale and… Read More »
Guillaume d’Angerville began looking for vineyards in France’s Jura region in 2007, when it was far less fashionable than it is today. He had returned to his family’s Volnay estate, Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, in 2003 after his father’s death. A blind tasting helped spark his interest in the Jura: he mistook an Arbois wine for… Read More »
Decanter will reveal its Top 50 US Wines of 2026 beginning 16 November, publishing 10 wines a day over five days. The final 10 will be announced on 20 November. Every wine on the list scored at least 95 points in Decanter tastings during the previous 12 months. The selections highlight the breadth of American… Read More »
Malbec was once widely regarded as an overripe, heavily oaked, uncomplicated red—a style that helped Argentina capture international attention in the early 2000s. Rich in fruit, dark in color, and easy to enjoy, it gave South American wine a distinctive identity and earned a place on wine lists worldwide. That period mattered. Malbec was recognizable… Read More »